Jeypore: Dussehra celebration here in Koraput district that began centuries back is compared with the one in Mysore in terms of splendour and royal linkage.
Prominent locals have continued their efforts to maintain the tradition of yore even as the procession of elephants, horses and infantry units of the royal era is no more in sight these days.
While the Navaratri Puja began late Wednesday night, the entire town is decked up to celebrate Durgotsav which signifies the victory of good over evil. The Puja started at the shrines of the presiding deity of the town Bhagabati and other deities – Dakhinakali, Jagatjanani, Basantayee and at the seat of Byaghra Devi, a deity worshipped by the Gujarati community.
Though the festival is celebrated across the state, Jeypore has a distinction since it has been observed here for over 200 years. People from all over the state and beyond throng the town to see the rituals on Vijaya Dashami.
History and tradition
It is said that the ancestors of Jeypore royals had shifted their capital from Nandapur to Purunagada at the foothills of Nakati Dangar near present day Jeypore in 1751. This had happened during the reign of King Ramchandra Dev I. However, his successor Ramchandra Dev II shifted the capital from Purunagada to Jeypore in 1791.
Ramchandra Dev III who succeeded him started celebrating Dussehra in such a big scale that it was compared with the festival at Mysore, according to some historians.
Colourfully decorated elephants and horses used to be brought in a huge procession from the royal palace to the Dussehra ground. The royal family members, ministers and top British officials sat atop elephants during the procession with the attendance of tribals and common people of undivided Koraput district.
The members of the infantry units of the erstwhile king took part in the parade held during the festivities. Tribal dance, music and drama were intrinsic parts of the Dussehra celebration in that period, it was learnt.
According to some senior citizens, Jeypore ruler after his victory over his neighbouring kingdom of Bastar, brought the latter’s flag to Jeypore and celebrated the success on Vijaya Dashami.
This apart, subjects offering gifts to the ruler and getting felicitated by the latter has been an age-old feature of the festival. The British officers also enjoyed this mass festival.
The festival was celebrated in a royal fashion for the last time by Vikramdev Burma in 1952 after the introduction of the Orissa Estates Abolition Act. Since then the festival lost much of its sheen as the celebration has to be scaled down due to scarcity of funds. The festival had to be observed within the budget sanctioned by the endowment department.
However, then Jeypore MLA Rabinarayan Nanda and a few other prominent local citizens including Krushnachandra Sahoo, Paresh Sahoo and others had made an attempt in 2003 to revive the old glory and they got some success.
“Jeypore Dussehra is a traditional festival and locals should try to maintain the old rituals to the best of their ability. The Centre and the state government should accord a tourist destination status to the festival,” said Lingaraj Nisanka, a local person.
Uday Samantray, a senior citizen, said the tribals carrying lathis and seats as the symbol of their goddess used to walk over a hundred kilometer to be part of the celebration after receiving invitation from the king. At present, a lot of emphasis is given on gates and illumination, he observed. PNN